Lemony Risotto With Fennel and Parmesan

Risotto has long served as a mirror for all of author CJ Hauser’s romantic relationships. Her beloved recipe for Ina Garten’s mushroom risotto has decades’ worth of notes scrawled alongside, each commemorating a particular time and person in her life. Inspired by that risotto, this bright, summery, lemon-tinged variation uses salted water rather than stock and anchovies instead of more robust pancetta or bacon, keeping it delicate and neutral enough to allow for limitless customization, depending on who you’re serving it to. Add in bits of seafood (curls of shrimp or squid), sautéed mushrooms, strips of seared steak or chicken, or even a fistful of tiny green peas from the freezer near the end of cooking.

Risotto has a reputation for being fussy and laborious, but it doesn’t have to be! Introducing the liquid in three or four decent-size additions rather than a ladleful at a time hastens the cooking process. Stir frequently and energetically, but by no means do you need to stir constantly.

This recipe appears in our Pescatarian Comfort Food Meal Plan.